(Clearwisdom.net) On July 10, 2004, Falun Gong practitioners held a grand parade in Calgary's Chinatown district, to further display to the public the widespread popularity of Falun Dafa, the persecution in China, and the wonderfulness and hope that Falun Dafa brings to people.

After an excellent performance at the Calgary Stampede on July 9, the following day Falun Gong practitioners held a grand parade in Calgary's Chinatown. The procession was composed of practitioners from Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina and Toronto. Practitioners holding banners reading "Falun Dafa is Good," and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" led the parade, and behind it were floats showing the Falun Dafa exercises, an anti-torture exhibit, young Dafa practitioners, a dancing team, and a waist drum team. The themes of the parade were to display the widespread popularity of Falun Dafa, the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and the wonderfulness and hope Dafa brings to the public.

Procession

Procession

Fan Dance

Procession

Float

Enthusiastic spectators

During the parade, practitioners introduced Falun Dafa and the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China to the public, while distributing Dafa truth clarification flyers. Both Westerners and Chinese people were attracted, some stopped walking to watch, and some stopped what they were doing. Some waved to the procession and applauded, while others took out camcorders to record this grand scene. When the procession entered Chinatown, many Chinese people could not help exclaiming: So many people practice Falun Gong, there are also many westerners and children! People happily accepted the flyers.

The parade began at 11:30 a.m., and concluded at 1:00 p.m. Afterwards, the practitioners went to the Chinese Consulate to hold a peaceful appeal and an anti-torture exhibit. This was the second live mock anti-torture exhibit the practitioners held during Calgary Stampede to display how Jiang's group is brutally torturing Falun Gong practitioners. During the exhibit, practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts and performed the exercises outside the consulate, and also distributed Dafa truth clarification materials to passersby and drivers who were waiting for green lights.

Spectators

Anti-torture exhibit outside the Chinese Consulate

Peaceful appeal outside the Chinese Consulate

Many drivers happily accepted flyers, and some also asked practitioners what Falun Dafa is. When school buses passed by, students saw Falun Dafa, practitioner's yellow clothing, and they waved to Dafa practitioners.